Use ST glass for sure. The best out there (*see note) is the Aural Symphonics Optimism V2 ($950) and they now make one especially for EMM Labs. Go to:
http://www.auralsymphonics.com/index.html
* note: They also make one called the Exelon, on special order, for $4500, which will also floss your teeth with laser light :~))
If you are lucky enough to have CDT and DAC that can be connected with ST glass fiber optic, this stuff is the end of the movie, over the rainbow, etc. etc. |
Uli, if you read my earlier post, you'll see I mentioned the special EMM Optimism that AS is producing (or will be producing) it's already posted on their website. If/when it is ready, I'm sure it will be outstanding.
Henryhk, I am using the standard Optimism V2 with my Wadia DAC and transport, and the reproduction is stunning. I wouldn't even consider going to an electrical connection now. Also the IO gel takes the performance a notch higher, and will improve the performance of any fiber optic cable, probably even Toslink.
I can't speak to the performance of the Optimism with the Meitner, or even if it's available yet. But I can tell you one thing: Tom Dzurak of AS puts an extraordinary amount of effort into developing his products. I don't think he'd take the time to develop something specifically for one brand of component, unless he thought it would result in significantly better performance.
BTW, AS glass cables are being used with a number of transport/DAC combos, not just Wadia. They are also the "drug of choice" for some very well known digital recording professionals who are involved with special applications such as HDCD and JVC's XRCD. |
OK everybody, I just got off the phone with Tommy Dzurak (pronounced zer-ak) at Aural Symphonics. He has completed the final testing of the EMM Optimism V2 (which will be a 3-cable set). The initial production run is already on its way to Hong Kong, and he says general release in the US will be Dec-Jan, but some US dealers may have a few before then.
Now, to clear up all the technobabble. Tommy says that the ST cables supplied by Meitner are just, and I quote, "garden-variety, wide-bandwidth (one-size-fits-all) fiber optic cables as supplied with Wadia, Theta, Krell, etc. etc. They will work on any equipment, and by the same token, any wide-bandwidth cable will work on a Meitner."
One of the things he did in designing the Optimism series of cables was to narrow their bandwidth, for better data transmission. So far, they work fine with any machine (like Theta and Wadia and most others) which use the standard (wide-bandwidth) AT&T transceiver unit. But Meitner (according to Tommy) uses some type of narrow bandwith transceiver. So if you are going to use a narrow bandwidth cable like the Optimism V2, it's narrow bandwidth has to MATCH the transceiver's narrow bandwidth (or your shit don't work!) So the in the EMM Optimism V2, the bandwidth has been selected to match the Meitner transceiver narrow bandwidth (hope this all made sense.) Anyway, that's why the standard Optimism V2 won't work in the Meitner, and also why, because it had a wider bandwidth, why the older Optimism V1 WILL work, but nowhere near as good, according to Tommy, as his new EMM Optimism V2 set.
He said the sound of 2 channel CD's, but especially SACD surround, is absolutely amazing using his cables with the Meitner, and much better than using either their stock ST cables or coax. I guess, in this instance, a one-component product seems to be good marketing. He said his Hong Kong production run is already sold out! |
The price? I didn't ask! But knowing Tommy, it wouldn't surprise me if the price was simply 3x a single V2, or about $3000! |
Jonathan, I beg to differ. I've had the same digital front end for long enough to know how it sounds with different cables -- both the analog out, and digital ICs. I have tried several ST cables, Tara, XLO, even some specially polished ones from Wadia. They all provided minor improvement over "off the shelf" cables, but nothing even came close to the quantum leap in performance of the Aural Symphonics optical cable. I suggest you try one for yourself if you haven't yet. |
Dennis, I do use the IO gel. I put it on right after I determined which direction I liked the cable best, which is how Tommy Dzurak said to do it.
But before I did any of that, I first cleaned the transceiver in the old Wadia DAC. (The transceiver in the transport is new.) I took a 10 cc syringe of 100% grain alcohol (dries really fast) and squirted it forcefully into the transceiver, followed by an air blast. Just to make sure the gel didn't pick up any dirt in there :~)) |
You can use IO gel with any ST cable. It is available from Aural Symphonics separately (from their cable) for I think $80. And you don't get much for that (not that you need much, but $80?!) Maybe there's another source?
You can clean ST cable tips with an alcohol swab, and then
dry with a tissue. Make sure to blow or brush off any lint. And be careful not to rub vigorously across the tip of the little glass rod, which is highly polished. |
You can do with just changing the black one, although the three-cable AS set works best (but costs a lot). If you want to try just one Aural Symphonics ST cable on the EMM equipment, it must be the version specifically made for the EMM. The Standard AS Optimism cable will not work on EMM equipment. |
Mehdi, I don't know if Aural Symphonics will sell just one of the EMM Optimism. They are supposedly sold in sets of three cables for $3000. You will have to email AS to find out. Go to:
www.auralsymphonics.com |
Bernhard -- I had the Pro 2, Tara Labs Luminary, and XLO Type 7. All very good (I liked the Tara the best, the Pro 2 the least)
Now, I finally bought a new Aural Symphonics V-2 (from an Agonner who had two!) It is absolutely amazing. The other "high end" ST cables were indeed better than the stock Wadia or Krell, it's true. And, to be fair, it is also true that some people (depending on the brand of DAC and/or transport) find that nothing (not even the AS) improves the performance over the stock ST cable they already use.
However, what I can report is, that with my Wadia WT2000S transport and 64.4x DAC, the AS isn't just better -- it's in another universe altogether!
So I give you one caveat: Unless you are running Wadia equipment (or of course plan to get the EMM version of the Optimism for EMM equipment) make sure you can return the cable for a full refund, if it doesn't work with your equipment. If it does, I promise you won't mind the price! |
Bernhard, the gentleman that I bought my "pre-owned" AS Optimism V-2 from was doing just that. Unfortunately, the EMM version wasn't available yet and the standard version which I bought, didn't work in his EMM units, and we now know why. So therefore, the experiment was never completed. I think you should email Tommy Dzuryk at AS and just ask him straight out. Tell him you don't have $3000 to spend, but you would like to buy one EMM cable for the audio signal, for now, and would that be OK?
I'm sure many other people would like an answer to that one :~)) |
Bernhard -- thanks for the report and the review. I am not the type to say "I told you so", especially in the face of such credible naysayers as J.T., but I was pretty sure, based on my own direct experience that folks would be very pleased with the new AS cable. |
According to Tommy at AS, the cables he makes are not all the same and are matched to each other to make a set of three. I don't know about the ones that are supplied by EMM, but I think they would be all the same generic ST cable except for the colors. The main reason for the color coding is to insure the proper connection of outputs to inputs at each end of each cable. However, with the set from AS, the colors may also insure that you use the proper cable for each purpose. You should check that with Tommy. |
Exlibris, what you report doesn't surprise me; but don't assume you'd get the same results with the Aural Symphonics ST cables. |
